Police say thieves pulled off three smash-and-grab burglaries early Wednesday morning in Middlesex County.
The targets were two jewelry stores and one pharmacy. Police say five thieves started the break-ins between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. They were driving in a Dodge Ram pickup and a Dodge Durango, both of which are believed to have been stolen.
Police say the thieves first broke into the Milltown Pharmacy. The front door was busted open with a sledgehammer, and items were stolen.
Next, they used a Dodge Ram Pickup to smash through the front door and security gate of G & W Jewelers, also in Milltown. Surveillance video from inside shows the suspects stealing from showcases.
“Sadly, this is not the first time we’ve been targeted. Probably nine times through the years. But this is the worst that’s ever happened to us,” says Jennifer Bruno, of G & W Jewelers.
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Bruno says this is the ninth time in 27 years the store has been broken into.
“It’s horrifying, it’s horrifying that this has not only happened repeatedly, but to the extent of the damage this time,” she says. “More importantly, it’s the loss of the continued revenue. We’ll need to shut down. We’re not going to be able to serve our customers for at least two to three weeks.”
The third location targeted was D'Compres Jewelry in North Brunswick. The front door was broken down and again merchandise was stolen.
Police have confirmed that the two cars used to commit the crimes have been recovered after they were abandoned. No arrests have been made.
Investigators are reviewing surveillance video and are hoping the forensic evidence recovered at G & W Jewelers may lead to an arrest.